It's My Life!
by Quistis de Valentine
Summary: A story that takes us back to the early days in the world of Final Fantasy 8. Well, at least a year. Summer is coming up and Seifer is on vacation in Deling. Guess who he runs into? That's right, the one and only Miss Heartilly. Please note this is only a


It's My Life!

A/N: I'm sorry to say this isn't a complete story. If you take the time to read it and get any idea about how you would like it to end, please, do tell. It could be anything, it's up to you really. Everything will be taken under consideration and greatly appreciated. However, this is my first 'be nice to Rinoa' fic. Let me know how it worked! Just kidding, hope you enjoy the story. - Quistis. 

Seifer's POW

Deling in the summer. The big city. Filled with lights, music and happy people. Happy people That made you think twice, huh? It made Seifer think twice anyway. But what's one to do? He had promised' his friends, Raijin and Fujin, they'd go somewhere this summer. He said promise as it was a joke to him. Ha, like he, the Great Seifer, would promise anyone anything. But he was bored. Even bored of the whole loner, but still coolest in the world' act too. Maybe the big city was just was he needed. Something new, something exciting. Perhaps it hid exactly what he had been missing all these years. And time would show, he was right too.

Rinoa's POW

"Miss Heartilly." The dark-haired girl paid no attention to the old lady in front of her. She didn't even heard her. Summer was approaching at full speed. Just 3 hours and 23 minutes left. She looked out the window and saw the huge clock at the top of the gate in front of her fathers house. No, make that 20 minutes. She smiled.

"Miss Rinoa Heartilly! Do not make me tell your father that you once again are daydreaming instead of doing your schoolwork. Don't you care about your education, young **_lady_**."

She used the lady title very loosely. As if Rinoa didn't deserve to be a _lady_. But who cared? It was 3 hours and 19 minutes left of the school year. Rinoa turned to look at her.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Rosebarry. But it's the last day before the summer. Can't we take it easy today?"

The woman pursed her lips.

"Absolutely not. These lessons are very expensive for your father. We shall make the most out of them. Please open your book at page 167. Wars in general'. What can you tell me about the Galbadian war and what it did to"

Rinoa yawned and gazed out of the window. Three funny looking character came up the street, walking towards the hotel. There were enough of freaks in Deling, but there was something about these three. One of them was very cute though. Blond hair, long gray coat. Why couldn't her father invite someone like this at his monthly parties for the upper class? If this stranger was going to stay she would

"Miss Heartilly! That was the last time If I ever catch you starring out of the window again, I will"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Rosebarry. Please go on" 

The dark-haired girl sighed. Just 3 hours and 13 minutes left. 

Seifer's POW

"Three rooms, please." They had finally arrived to Deling City, after taking a boat, two trains, a cab and god knows what. Seifer sighed. This was why he never went on vacation. Too much hassle. The only thing that would make this day completely perfect was if there wasn't enough rooms and they would have to sleep on the street. 

"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't"

Seifer groaned.

"three rooms available. I'm afraid we only have two. Perhaps one of you would like to share with the girl or you two gentlemen could share"

"Hell no!"

Raijin, of course.

"Don't flatter yourself, buddy. I have no intentions of sharing with you either."

The pretty receptionist tried a careful smile. 

"This is the only hotel in Deling. Two of you have to share but as soon as we get an opening, I'll let you know."

"I'm not sharing with that freak AGAIN! She is my roommate after all."

"Raijin"

But Raijin had made up his mind and since this day couldn't get any worse

"I'll share with her."

"THANKS!"

"Give me the damn keys."

"That's 500 Gil first."

Seifer pulled the money out of his pocket. 

"Let's go."

Rinoa's POW

Rinoa smiled at her reflection. New dress, new hairstyle. Perfect way to start the summer! And pink was really her color. Now all there was left to do was ohh ask her father for permission to go downtown. After that little incident last year, he controlled her every move. _But I couldn't know that the guy literally wanted to touch the stars. I thought he was just being romantic. Not that he would put me on a spaceship_ _But dad really didn't have to send the whole army after me._ Dad would hate this dress though. It's too short for his taste. _Better grab a coat_. And she was ready to hit the city. 

"Dad! I'm going out!"

The general came into the hallway and looked at her. 

"What do you have under that coat?"

"My usual dress."

"Is that so? New hairdo?"

"Yes. Do you like it?"

"It makes you look two years younger. If you had any hopes of getting into a bar, you really don't stand a chance."

"Oh." She tried not to show how much that comment hurt her. Why couldn't he say something nice to her for once?

"When will you be home?"

"La around 12 I guess." Late? Yeah, way to get grounded the first day of her vacation.

"Ok. Have fun. Not too much fun though. I don't want to come and pick you up."

"No father."

She left, but her good mood was gone. _I hate that man, I hate that man, I hate him!_

Seifer's POW

"What's there to see in this freakshow of a town?" The anger kept building up further and further for each step Seifer took. Why did he even bother to come? Hehad known he would be bored to death, but when he thought of his other choice, Balamb, was it really that bad? YES! At the Garden he had people to bother, fans to talk nonsense into. Here he had nothing. Fujin and Raijin seemed bored too, but neither of them dared to say something. After all, this was their idea. 

"Seifer, man Whadda ya feel up for?" 

"Let's see, I want a beautiful girl, like Quistis, just not so stuck up, a room of my own, money to keep me going till I drop and a slave to carry my Gunblade, but I guess that's out of the question."

"Man we're all in this together. Don't take it out on us."

"**_Don't_**take it out on you? Who's bright idea was it to come here anyway? Not mine, I'll tell ya!"

"MAD!"

"Yes, I'm mad, Fujin. Was there anything else?"

"DRINK!"

The two boys looked the way she pointed and saw a bar filled with teenagers.

"Oookay, this is probably the place to be in this goddamned city. Let's check it out." 

The three of them entered and soon they sat very comfortably at the best table, with people surrounding them, asking stupid questions like: Are you warriors? Is that a real Gunblade? Have you fought in any wars? Finally Seifer had the attention he wanted and there was no end to the wild stories he made up. Yeah, he had fought in lots of wars and he had won them too, all by himself. He was the leader of a secret military group fighting for the freedom of the world which was under attack by people from some other planet. All of this was top secret of course and the teenagers of Deling had never been more stunned in their life. The hours passed by and more and more people came to listen to Seifer's crazy stories. Including a beautiful dark-haired girl who sat very quietly and just looked at him. He had to impress her. "And then I remembered I was lost in dinosaur land had suddenly I had to fight 20 no 50 T-rexes"

Rinoa's POW

Earlier that night, Rinoa had found her way down to the city's only teenager bar. She thought this was just going to be another one of those nights where she met some friends, danced some, maybe talked to some cute guys and went home, but even before she entered The Waterfall, she knew something was up. People were gathering around one of the tables and she went over to take a look on what people found so very interesting. She smiled and winked her way through, but suddenly she stopped in her tracks. It was the guy that had walked past her classroom window earlier that day! In a daze she sat down on a set a guy offered her and looked closer at him. He was very cute, but at the same time, he seemed so much more mature than other guys. She started listening to his story and soon found it hard not to laugh. He was around 18, maybe younger and told stories about great battles, wars and other stuff he only could dream of seeing. And yet, these people here believed him! 

Soon she only concentrated on him and forgot to listen to his story. He seemed angry. It was obvious that he loved the attention, but underneath it all, he seemed angry and alone. She wish she had a chance to talk to him. Really talk, make him open up and maybe then Maybe she could become his girlfriend, maybe he would learn to love her. If he really did became a famous warrior one day, she would be the one who had stood beside him all the time. 

Suddenly screams and load noises came from the street, the door flew open and five Galbadian soldiers came into the bar. Three of them were holding some people who were screaming and crying, and one of the soldiers started to shot around in the room with his machinegun. Some of the teenagers went down and panic broke out. Everyone ran for the exit, but most of them were brutally stopped, either with a bullet or a knife. Rinoa quickly looked around for her friends. She saw one of them, a girl called Mara, lying on the floor bleeding. She totally froze. _This isn't happening!_ _Why_ A strong hand grab her wrist and pulled her towards the bar. A bullet flew over her head. She tried to get a look of the person who was holding her, but all she saw was a gray coat. She then tried to fight him off, but the grip just tightened.

"Let me go!" 

They had reached the bar and the man pushed her head down. 

"Be quiet. Do you know where the backdoor is?"

She turned to look at him. It wasn't a Galbadian soldier as she had thought, it was the young stranger. He didn't seem frighten at all, but his eyes

"Well, do you?"

She shook her head to clear her thoughts.

"Eh I think there's one just around the corner. But it's always locked though."

"Maybe we're lucky."

He started to walk, still bent down so the soldiers wouldn't see him. He made a gesture for her to follow him. She did. And they reached the door without being seen.

"What about your friends?" She asked him. 

"They'll be okay. I was most worried" He stopped.

"What?"

"Never mind. Let's just get you out of here, so I can get back and kick some Galbadian asses." 

"You're going back?"

"Of course." He tried the door. Against all odds, it was open. He looked at her. "Always locked, huh?"

"It usually is!" She tried a smile. 

"Let's get out."

The got out and found themselves in a ally.

"It's just a matter of time before they come here too. Do you know of a safe place around here?"

"Um Yeah, my aunt lives just a minute away."

"Good, go there, but be careful."

"Aren't you coming?"

"No! I have to" He pointed toward the bar.

"You don't **_have_**to."

The boy looked down.

"Please don't go back. You saved me so you're already my hero. I'm Rinoa Heartilly by the way."

"Seifer."

"Please, Seifer, don't go back."

He hesitated and Rinoa could only imagine the thoughts that went through his head, where she stood silently beside him, biting her lip. 

Seifer's POW

For the first time in his life he wasn't sure if he should enter a battle or not. Usually he would run right in, cutting everything in two with his huge Gunblade, but the prettiest girl he had ever seen, well Quistis was just as pretty, but this one seemed much more friendly, was begging him to stay. She had said he was her hero. Never before had a girl said that to him. Girls usually just laughed at him, the one who dared, and the rest seemed to avoid him. Him! Seifer Almasy! _Knock it of, Seifer. How long are you going to fool yourself with this? No girl has ever liked you. You're an ass, Seifer. An ass and nothing more. _Still_ this girl wants you to stay with her. Why can't you just give in? Could it be because you're frighten?_

He looked at her. He saw how she shyly looked down when he met her eyes. He had to do something soon or he would not only put himself in danger, but thisbeautiful girl too. 

"Rinoa" He begun.He saw how the hope lit up in her eyes. "I have to get back" Her hope died. "But after after the battle." He took a deep breath. "Would you like to meet me?"

"But what is there is no after the battle? Why can't you come with me **_now?_**"

"I'm almost a SeeD. This is what we do."

"Almost isn't good enough to risk your life for!"

A silence fell over them. Rinoa's word surrounded them. _Isn't good enough Risk you life_ He made a quick decision. 

"I'm gonna regret this" He reached out for her hand. She smilingly accepted it.

"No, you won't."

"Is that a promise?"

"You could always hope."

And with that they escaped into the night. 

After a couple of minutes with an unbearable tension they reached the house Rinoa had pointed out. She knocked on the yellow door. Soon a lady who looked a bit frighten opened it.

"Rinoa! What are you doing here?"

"Long story, aunt Emily. Can we come in?"

"Of course. Who is your friend?"

They both entered the house and Emily closed the door. 

"This is Seifer. He saved me from The Waterfall after the soldiers came in and started shooting at everyone."

"Oh Rinoa!" The lady hugged her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine" She laughed and with a long look at Seifer, she added. "Thanks to Seifer." 

Seifer seemed a bit uncomfortable, so Rinoa took her eyes of him, and the quite romantic moment, if it hadn't been for aunt Emily, was gone. Emily let go of Rinoa and looked at them both.

"Are you hungry? I can make something warm, but if you"

Rinoa broke her off.

"No, we're fine, thanks. We just need to hid out here for a while. You see, Seifer was going back into the battle, but I"

She quickly stopped when she noticed he didn't look happy at all with her bursting out everything that had happen the short while they had known each other. Emily also noticed the tense atmosphere, and decided to leave them alone.

"I'll be in the kitchen if you need me Rinoa."

"Okay."

After she had left, a silence filed the room. Rinoa was unsure about how to act. He didn't like it when she talked about how brave he had been, he definitely didn't like to talk about feelings.

"So where are you from?"

"Balamb." The answer came short and straight, this could be harder than she'd expected.

"Of course that's where they train to become SeeD's."

"Yeah."

"So you live at a Garden? I'd give anything to live at a Garden."

"Yeah, but it's not much to talk about really. Life's there can be pretty boring at times."

"Is that why you're in Deling now?"

"Nah my friends wanted toDamn! I forgot about Fujin and Raijin!"

"You said they could take care of themselves."

"Yeah, they can, but not without getting into trouble."

"Are you are you going out again?"

"I should. It was a mistake coming here I I have to go." 

He started walking towards the door. She ran after him. 

"Seifer no don't go. Just"

Rinoa placed herself in front of the door so he couldn't get out.

"Don't. Go. Out. There." 

She watched in surprise when his face did a strange twitching move. She laughed.

"Was that a smile?"

He tried to hide it, but he failed. He did smile!

"You smiled! See, there's still hope for you."

"Rinoa please"

"No. Admit that you smiled and that it felt good."

"Never."

"Then I'm never letting you out of here."

"Well, then I'm just gonna have to" He took a step towards her and lifted her up. She laughed and tried to kick him, and the movement came so fast that Seifer didn't have time to react and they both fell on the floor. And they both burst into laughter.

"Are you crazy?"

"I'm crazy? Who tried to lift me out of the way?"

"But you can't kick me!"

"Can too. I still have a few tricks up my sleeve."

He looked at her dress. It was strapless.

"You don't have any sleeves." 

That just made them laugh even harder. In the end it became so bad that aunt Emily came out of the kitchen to take a look on what was going on. It's safe to say she was rather surprised when she found Rinoa and the stranger lying on the floor laughing. But time had learned her not to be surprised by anything when it came to Rinoa. 

"Rinoa?"

More laughter.

"Rinoa, sweetheart"

"Aunt Emily" They finally managed to stop and Seifer got up first, offering a hand to Rinoa. She took it and he practically dragged her up.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing." Rinoa laughed for a second. "That's the problem. Nothing is funny anymore."

"Well, I came to say it's safe to go outside again. They just said so over the radio and I'm sure your father is worried about you."

Rinoa looked at the watch. It was 0:30.

"Oh no! I'm already half an hour over my curfew. Dad's gonna kill me!"

"If you go home right away and explain, I'm sure he'll understand." 

"Maybe" 

"Well, take care you two. Rinoa, you have to come see me soon again."

"I will. Thanks aunt Emily." 

"Good bye."

And they were out again. She looked at him.

"Are you going to find your friends now?"

"Yeah, but they are probably at the hotel."

"Okay I guess this is goodbye then."

"Where do you live?"

"See that mansion up there?"

"Yeah."

"That would be it."

"Wow, are you a princess or something?"

"I wish. No, my dad's just a general who likes to think he's something more."

"Parents problems."

"Big time. Haven't you ever had that?"

"Actually I've I've never had any parents."

"Oh"

"That's ok. I never think about it so Erm do you do you want me to walk you home?"

Her smile said it all, but she answered like a real lady. (Mrs. Rosebarry would have been proud of her) "I'd like that very much."

They started to walk in silence, but this time it was a good silence.

Sorry guys, that's all I have. I've been having the worst writer's block for the past few weeks and I am very open for suggestions. Everything is appraciated. Everything! The only reason I'm posting this is because I need help. So... please, give me a second of your valuable time and tell me what you would like to see happen. How come they didn't see each other for a year? Or did they? In secret? How did they part? Did Rinoa find anyone else? And Seifer, what about him? As you can see I'm desperate. Thank you for your help and time. 


End file.
